Sweet Cherry Tree Named  &#39;IFG Cher-eight&#39;

ABSTRACT

This invention is a new and distinct sweet cherry plant denominated ‘IFG Cher-eight’. The new sweet cherry plant ‘IFG Cher-eight’ is characterized by producing large size medium dark red fruits having reniform shape. Fruits ripen early, have medium firm, medium acid fruit with a good cherry flavor and strong stem attachment. ‘IFG Cher-eight’ has a low chilling requirement and produces a high percentage of marketable fruit in warm climates.

Latin name of the genus and species claimed: Prunus avium.

Variety denomination: ‘IFG Cher-eight’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Australian Plant Breeders RightsAppl. No. 2020/126, filed Jun. 30, 2020, herein incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new and distinct cherry described and claimed herein originated fromopen pollinated seeds of fruits of the unnamed female parent; IFGselection 01C059-023-378 (non-patented) growing near Delano, in KernCounty, Calif. collected in May 2007. The male parent is unknown. Theseeds were stratified, germinated and the resulting 17 seedlings wereplanted in the field near Delano, Kern County, Calif. in April 2008. Thepresent variety of sweet cherry plant was selected as a single plant inMay 2012 and was first asexually propagated in February 2013 by graftingonto Prunus mahalab rootstock. This propagule was found to reproducetrue-to-type by asexual propagation. All propagation was done nearDelano, Kern County Calif.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Sweet cherries have traditionally been grown in climates with long coldwinters and cool to moderately warm summers. Such climates provideenough cold winter temperatures to allow normal growth to resume in thespring and summer temperatures that are low enough not to induceproduction of unmarketable double or spurred fruit, but it limits theseasonality that sweet cherries are available. The IFG sweet cherrybreeding program focuses on developing types of cherries that will growin regions with low winter chilling and high summer temperatures so thatthe fruit will ripen before fruit in traditional growing regions.

The new sweet cherry plant ‘IFG Cher-eight’ is characterized byproducing large size medium dark red fruits having reniform shape.Fruits ripen early, have medium firm, medium acid fruit with a goodcherry flavor. ‘IFG Cher-eight’ has a high percentage of marketablefruit. Fruit stems are long, medium thick and have strong attachment andstay green during storage and shipping.

‘IFG Cher-eight’ is self-incompatible having S1S6 pollen alleles. Theplant has a low chilling requirement of about 300 to 400 hours. Itproduces very few doubled and spurred fruits in high summer temperatureregions such as the Southern San Joaquin Valley of California.

The cherry varieties believed to be most similar to ‘IFG Cher-eight’ are‘Brooks’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,676) and ‘IFG Cher-three’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 30,011). ‘Brooks’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,676) is a major cherryvariety grown in warm regions. ‘IFG Cher-eight’ ripens with or slightlyearlier than ‘Brooks’. Nonetheless, ‘Brooks’ and ‘IFG Cher-eight’ aredistinguishable at least in their fruit production and chillingrequirement. Specifically, ‘IFG Cher-eight’ has fewer undesirabledoubled and spurred fruits and has superior stem attachment and storagecharacteristics. Additionally, ‘IFG Cher-eight’ has a lower chillingrequirement than ‘Brooks’ and can be successfully grown in lower chillregions where ‘Brooks’ cannot be grown.

In comparison to ‘IFG Cher-three,’ ‘IFG Cher-eight’ has a similarchilling requirement. Nonetheless, ‘IFG Cher-three’ and ‘IFG Cher-eight’are distinguishable at least in their ripening time and fruitcharacteristics. Specifically, ‘IFG Cher-eight’ ripens five to sevendays later, has larger fruit size, lighter flesh and skin color, and issofter. Additionally, ‘IFG Cher-eight’ exhibits less pebbling of theskin surface and better stem quality during long term storage ascompared to ‘IFG Cher-three’.

In comparison to its female parent, IFG selection 01C059-023-378, ‘IFGCher-eight’ has larger, firmer fruits, darker flesh and skin color, anda shorter thicker stem.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying photographic drawing illustrates in full color ‘IFGCher-eight’, taken from a 6-year old tree. The photograph was takenoutdoors with indirect lighting The colors are as nearly true as isreasonably possible in a color representation of this type.

FIG. 1—Shows an actively growing shoot tip in the upper portion of thedrawing Typical mature fruit, fruit in cross section and cleaned anddried fruit pits are displayed in the lower half of the drawing.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Throughout this specification, color names beginning with a small lettersignify that the name of that color, as used in common speech, is aptlydescriptive Color names beginning with a capital letter designate valuesbased upon R.H.S Colour Chart, published in 2001 by The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, England

Throughout this specification, subjective description values conform tothose set forth by the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources(IBPGR) ‘Cherry Descriptor List’ (Prunus spp) (1985) which was developedwith full support from the Commission of the European Communities (CEC)Programme Committee for Plant Disease Resistance Breeding and the Use ofGenebanks

The descriptive matter which follows pertains to ‘IFG Cher-eight’ plantsgrown in the vicinity of Delano, Kern County, Calif. during 2018 and2019, and is believed to apply to plants of the variety grown undersimilar conditions of soil and climate elsewhere:

-   Tree:    -   -   General.—Age of plant when data collected — 6-yrs-old.            Height — Approximately 2.8 M when pruned. Width —            Approximately 1.8 M when pruned. Size — Medium. Vigor —            Moderately strong. Density of foliage — Medium. Form —            Spreading. Branching — Medium. Root stock — Own root.            Resistance to — Insects: Average typical of Prunus avium            species. Diseases: Average typical of Prunus avium species.            Chilling Requirements — Very low to Low. Graft Compatibility            — Good: produces compatible graft unions with Prunus avium,            ‘Mazzard’ seedling (non-patented) and Prunus Mahaleb            seedlings (non-patented).        -   Trunk.—Trunk diameter of 6-year-old tree, 30 cm above the            soil line — Approximately 12.8 cm. Lenticel Size — Medium.            Lenticel dimensions — Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About            0.3 cm. Lenticel Shape — Elliptical shape, oriented            horizontally. Lenticel Color — Greyed-green: 197B. Trunk            Surface texture — Slight to moderate roughness. Outer bark            color — Greyed-purple: 187A.-   Branches:    -   -   Young shoots.—Anthocyanin coloration of apex (during rapid            growth) — Absent or very weak. Pubescence of apex (during            rapid growth) — Weak.        -   1-year-old wood.—Vertical top growth length — Medium: About            54 cm. Horizontal growth length — Medium: About 24 cm.            Diameter — Vertical growth: About 0.8 cm. Horizontal growth:            About 0.5 cm. Internode length — Medium: About 3.0 cm.            Number of lenticels — Few to medium: About 9 lenticels per            linear cm. Lenticel Size — Small. Lenticel dimensions —            Length: About 0.5 mm. Width: About 0.5 mm. Lenticel shape —            Round. Bark color — Greyed-orange: 175A.        -   2-year-old wood.—Length — Medium: About 23.7 cm. Diameter —            About 0.7 cm. Internode length — Medium: About 4.0 cm.            Number of Lenticels — Few to medium: About 7 lenticels per            linear cm. Lenticel dimensions — Length: About 0.5 mm.            Width: About 0.5 mm. Lenticel shape — Round. Number of            fruiting spurs — Approximately 11. Bark Color —            Greyed-orange: 175A.-   Buds:    -   -   Vegetative buds.—Shape — Elongated. Vegetative bud            dimensions — Length: About 7.1 mm. Width: About 3.3 mm.            Color — The following colors were observed: Greyed-orange:            166A and 166B and 166C.        -   Flower buds.—Flower bud dimensions — Length: About 9.0 mm.            Width: About 4.2 mm. Shape — Rounded oval. Placement — At            bud positions mostly 1 to 10 on 1-year wood. Average number            of flower buds on first year wood: About 8. Number of Flower            buds per spur on second year wood — 6 to 9. Average about 7.            Color — The following colors were observed: Greyed-orange:            166A and 166B and 166C. Flower bud burst — About Feb. 19,            2019.-   Leaves:    -   -   Mature leaves.—Leaf dimensions — Length: Long: About            18.6 cm. Width: Broad: About 7.9 cm. Leaf shape —            Lanceolate: Symmetric on both sides of central axis. Shape            of tip — Acuminate: broadly. Shape of base — Rounded. Margin            — Serrated: Regular: Pointed. Leaf profile — V-shaped.            Venation — Arcuate. Vein Color — Yellow-green: 145B.        -   Upper surface.—Upper surface pubescence — None. Upper leaf            surface color — Green: 137A. Surface texture — Medium.        -   Lower surface.—Lower surface Pubescence — Moderately dense:            All over. Lower leaf surface color — Yellow green: 147B.        -   Petiole.—Petiole dimensions — Length: About 3.2 cm. Width:            About 2.6 mm. Upper surface of petiole color — The following            colors were observed: Yellow-green: 146C and Greyed-purple:            184A. Lower surface of petiole color — Yellow-green: 145B.            Petiole groove — Narrow: Approximately 0.6 mm. Petiole            Pubescence — Very sparse to sparse on both upper and lower            surfaces.        -   Glands.—Number of glands — About 2. Gland dimensions —            Length: About 2.4 mm. Width: About 1.1 mm. Gland shape —            Mixture of globose and reniform. Gland location — On            petiole. Gland Color — The following colors were observed:            Yellow-green: 145C and Greyed-purple: 184C. Leaf Stipule —            Present.-   Flowers:    -   -   Blooming period.—Early.        -   Blooming dates.—First Bloom: About Feb. 28, 2019. Full            Bloom: About Mar. 13, 2019.        -   Number of flowers per cluster.—3 to 6. Average: About 4.2.        -   Corolla.—Composed of unfused petals, slightly overlapping.        -   Corolla diameter.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Petal number.—5.        -   Petal shape.—Broad obovate.        -   Petal length.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Petal width.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Margin waviness.—Medium.        -   Division of upper margin.—Notched.        -   Color of petal upper surface.—White: N155A.        -   Color of petal lower surface.—White: N155A.        -   Peduncle.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 1.2 mm.        -   Peduncle color.—Yellow-green: N144B.        -   Number of sepals.—5.        -   Sepal length.—About 0.9 cm.        -   Sepal width.—About 0.5 cm.        -   Sepal shape.—Ovate.        -   Sepal color.—Outer surface — The following colors were            observed: Yellow-green: N144B and Greyed-purple: 187B.        -   Sepal color.—Inner surface — The following colors were            observed: Yellow-green: N144C and N144D.        -   Filament.—Length: Approximately 0.7 to 1.4 cm. Width:            Approximately 0.5 mm.        -   Filament color.—White: N155A.        -   Anther color.—Yellow: 10A.        -   Pollen color.—Yellow: 11A.        -   Pollen production.—High.        -   Self-compatibility of flowers.—Self-incompatible.        -   Pollen compatibility group.—S1S6.-   Fruit:    -   -   General.—Ripening period — Early: Approximately: May            9, 2019. Use — Fresh market. Keeping quality — Good.            Refractometer test — Soluble solids: Brix: About 14.8.            Firmtech II (g/mm) — About 309. Flavor — Good. Eating            quality — Good.        -   Stem.—Stem — Length: About 5.5 cm. Width: About 1.3 mm. Stem            color — Yellow-green: 144A. Stem cavity — Narrow. Stem pull            force — About 506 g. Stem retention during storage —            Excellent. Stem storage quality — Good.        -   Berry.—Uniformity of size — Uniform. Shape — Reniform.            Pistil end — Flat. Fruit Weight — About 10.1 gm. Apical            Diameter — About 2.5 cm. Diameter transversely across suture            — About 2.4 cm. Diameter at right angle to suture plane —            About 2.7 cm. Suture — Absent. Percent of excessively deep            or split sutures — About 0%. Doubles — About 0%.        -   Skin.—Texture — Smooth. Skin Color — Greyed-purple: 187A.            Tendency to crack — Slight to moderate.        -   Flesh.—Texture — Firm. Color — Greyed-purple: 187C. Stone            cavity color — Greyed-purple: 187A.        -   Stone.—Shape — Broadly elliptic. Length — About 10.7 mm.            Width across suture — About 6.5 mm. Width at right angle to            suture plane — About 9.3 mm. Dry stone weight — About 0.23            gm. Type — Clingstone. Surface texture — Slightly rough.            Stone Color when dry — Orange-white: 159A. Tendency to split            — None. Base — Rounded. Apex — Rounded. Ventral edge —            Narrow suture subtended by two less prominent ridges            converging at base and apex. Dorsal edge — Smooth, narrow            ridge from base to apex.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of sweet cherry named ‘IFG Cher-eight’, as herein illustrated and described. 